In an already acrimonious year for Australia–China relations, an ‘utterly outrageous’ tweet from a mid-level official at China’s foreign affairs ministry shows the extent to which the Chinese-language media environment is being shaped by the …
Sea state The US Navy is planning to raise a 1st Fleet for the first time since 1973 in response to China’s naval build-up in the South China Sea. Under the plan, ships would likely …
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted almost all aspects of life, and elections have been no exception. Across the world, elections in 2020 were conducted under the shadow of the pandemic, providing a stress test not …
Planet A The International Union for Conservation of Nature, which advises the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, released a report last week finding that climate change is the biggest threat to natural world heritage sites. This …
Implementing gender-based responses to Covid-19 The United Nations Development Programme has released a guidance note for national parliaments outlining their responsibility to address the gendered impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The document explains the problem …
Sea state Taiwan has opened a shipyard to build a new fleet of diesel-electric submarines. This represents a significant step for President Tsai Ing-wen in her plan to revitalise Taiwan’s outdated navy. A state-owned shipbuilding …
Planet A At the G20 summit this week, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga pledged that his country would be carbon neutral by 2050. This would see Japan—the world’s seventh largest emitter of greenhouse gases—join Europe …
Sea state The second phase of Exercise Malabar, which involves the US, India, Australia and Japan, will run from 17 to 20 November in the northern Arabian Sea and aims to enhance interoperability among the …
Planet A The election of Joe Biden to the White House is widely expected to boost global efforts to combat climate change. Biden’s team has pledged to immediately reverse President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the …
Scoring the US on WPS The Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security has published an index evaluating the status of women’s rights, opportunities and wellbeing across the US. The results show great differences among …
Sea state China says its second aircraft carrier is ready for deployment after completing a series of tests and exercises. The Shandong is the first aircraft carrier to be built in China. It was commissioned …
Planet A Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden faces a careful balancing act between transitioning the US away from fossil fuels and maintaining existing jobs. Biden said in his last debate with President Donald Trump that he wants …